Search smh:

Search in:

Gillard says Gonski deal will be done

Prime Minister Julia Gillard has accused the states of "argy-bargy and carry-on" over a new school funding system but has vowed to get a national deal.

Ms Gillard will meet state and territory leaders in April to discuss a new plan to inject an extra $6.5 billion a year into schools, proposed under the Gonski review.

Schools Minister Peter Garrett says he will make an offer to the states this week on how much the commonwealth will contribute.

Victoria has announced it will go it alone on school funding reform, saying it could deliver better outcomes than the commonwealth's one-size-fits-all approach.

Advertisement

Western Australia and Queensland also have expressed doubts about the federal government's national plan for school improvement.

Visiting a school in Canberra on Monday, Ms Gillard told reporters the premiers needed reminding that "we are the adults".

"We are the ones with the responsibility for change, we are the ones with the responsibility for making sure every child in every school gets a great education," she said.

"Inevitably when you are bringing the biggest reform in education in 40 years there will be some argy-bargy and some carry-on around it but I am determined to push through all of that and get this done."

Ms Gillard said the Victorian government had cut $550 million from school funding but then announced it would restore $400 million.

"That is not good enough," she said.

The prime minister said intensive talks with state and territory education officials were under way ahead of the Council of Australian Governments meeting in April.

The talks would discuss the latest data including census information.

If no agreement could be reached at COAG, Ms Gillard said, the government would "fight on" to secure a deal on school funding to start in the 2014 school year.

She said if talks broke down, premiers would have to explain why they didn't want children in their state to get a better education.

Ms Gillard said anyone who suggested a funding model had been agreed was misleading the public.